Pete Marchetto
@petemarchetto.bsky.social
Boomer postpatriot Englishman, freelance writer in expat recovery (from China), of the social-democratic centre now deemed 'far left', Green Party member. Free sample ebook of short stories at:
https://petemarchetto290688881.wordpress.com/
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https://petemarchetto290688881.wordpress.com/
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Pete Marchetto
@petemarchetto.bsky.social
Β· Nov 22
Free sampler ebook, (with details of how to pay me at the end if you feel like it): 'Love Sideways', 3 unromantic romances.
petemarchetto290688881.wordpress.com
petemarchetto290688881.wordpress.com
Trouble is, when I get an analogy, I run with it.
And run.
And run and run and run and run and run...
And run.
And run and run and run and run and run...
February 10, 2026 at 8:51 PM
Trouble is, when I get an analogy, I run with it.
And run.
And run and run and run and run and run...
And run.
And run and run and run and run and run...
Fair enough. I don't think I've ever said that about anything, but since you have we'll end it there.
February 10, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Fair enough. I don't think I've ever said that about anything, but since you have we'll end it there.
Okay. Do you seriously believe that if there were no nukes in Western Europe, no nukes in the USA, there were nukes in Russia, that Russia would just stroll into Western Europe up to and including the UK and just take over?
February 10, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Okay. Do you seriously believe that if there were no nukes in Western Europe, no nukes in the USA, there were nukes in Russia, that Russia would just stroll into Western Europe up to and including the UK and just take over?
It's not an equivalent, then. The equivalent is NO ONE is walking around the schoolyard with a big stick, not 'We can be trusted, you can't.'
February 10, 2026 at 6:36 PM
It's not an equivalent, then. The equivalent is NO ONE is walking around the schoolyard with a big stick, not 'We can be trusted, you can't.'
Belgium's screwed, then.
February 10, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Belgium's screwed, then.
To extend your example, was your argument to your 7-year-old son 'It's okay for you to walk around the schoolyard with a big stick, but no one else'?
February 10, 2026 at 6:30 PM
To extend your example, was your argument to your 7-year-old son 'It's okay for you to walk around the schoolyard with a big stick, but no one else'?
... arsenal; we can have them because we're responsible. You can't, you're idiots.
February 10, 2026 at 6:28 PM
... arsenal; we can have them because we're responsible. You can't, you're idiots.
Unfortunately, that signals to the rest of the world that we're the reasonable people, but you're a bunch of primitives who aren't responsible enough.
You may want to say it is true. I may not disagree if you say so. But it's not an argument to deter other nations from wanting a nuclear...
You may want to say it is true. I may not disagree if you say so. But it's not an argument to deter other nations from wanting a nuclear...
February 10, 2026 at 6:28 PM
Unfortunately, that signals to the rest of the world that we're the reasonable people, but you're a bunch of primitives who aren't responsible enough.
You may want to say it is true. I may not disagree if you say so. But it's not an argument to deter other nations from wanting a nuclear...
You may want to say it is true. I may not disagree if you say so. But it's not an argument to deter other nations from wanting a nuclear...
We could have so much more if we didn't spend all that money on 'em.
I hope you're wrong when you say 'It's all we had'. I don't like the argument that nukes are seen as our primary means of defence. That doesn't work.
I hope you're wrong when you say 'It's all we had'. I don't like the argument that nukes are seen as our primary means of defence. That doesn't work.
February 10, 2026 at 6:25 PM
We could have so much more if we didn't spend all that money on 'em.
I hope you're wrong when you say 'It's all we had'. I don't like the argument that nukes are seen as our primary means of defence. That doesn't work.
I hope you're wrong when you say 'It's all we had'. I don't like the argument that nukes are seen as our primary means of defence. That doesn't work.
... Sarwar is one of 'em. He's not going to be particularly keen on the idea that MPs down in Westminster see him as a crash-test dummy.
I think his primary intention was to put distance between Scottish Labour and Westminster, and that's job done.
I think his primary intention was to put distance between Scottish Labour and Westminster, and that's job done.
February 10, 2026 at 6:24 PM
... Sarwar is one of 'em. He's not going to be particularly keen on the idea that MPs down in Westminster see him as a crash-test dummy.
I think his primary intention was to put distance between Scottish Labour and Westminster, and that's job done.
I think his primary intention was to put distance between Scottish Labour and Westminster, and that's job done.
I think it was a win-win for Sarwar, and whether it precipitated Starmer's departure was secondary.
Consider the rhetoric that's doing the rounds. Wait until after May and car-crash local elections, then decide what to do about an unpopular leadership.
Trouble is, that car has passengers, and...
Consider the rhetoric that's doing the rounds. Wait until after May and car-crash local elections, then decide what to do about an unpopular leadership.
Trouble is, that car has passengers, and...
February 10, 2026 at 6:24 PM
I think it was a win-win for Sarwar, and whether it precipitated Starmer's departure was secondary.
Consider the rhetoric that's doing the rounds. Wait until after May and car-crash local elections, then decide what to do about an unpopular leadership.
Trouble is, that car has passengers, and...
Consider the rhetoric that's doing the rounds. Wait until after May and car-crash local elections, then decide what to do about an unpopular leadership.
Trouble is, that car has passengers, and...
Reposted by Pete Marchetto
Meet Hannah Spencer - Green MP candidate for Gorton and Denton, and the only vote to stop Reform.
February 10, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Meet Hannah Spencer - Green MP candidate for Gorton and Denton, and the only vote to stop Reform.
... the fissile material or had it stolen. The whole situation was dodgy, hence the agreement to give them up.
To some degree, the existence of the fissile material was a threat to Russia, but Ukraine didn't qualify as a 'nuclear-armed nation' in the sense of having any conventional capability.
To some degree, the existence of the fissile material was a threat to Russia, but Ukraine didn't qualify as a 'nuclear-armed nation' in the sense of having any conventional capability.
February 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM
... the fissile material or had it stolen. The whole situation was dodgy, hence the agreement to give them up.
To some degree, the existence of the fissile material was a threat to Russia, but Ukraine didn't qualify as a 'nuclear-armed nation' in the sense of having any conventional capability.
To some degree, the existence of the fissile material was a threat to Russia, but Ukraine didn't qualify as a 'nuclear-armed nation' in the sense of having any conventional capability.
... production); essentially, the only way it could have become a nuclear-armed power would have been to have started from scratch. They couldn't have done anything with the weaponry they had except, perhaps, cause mischief with a dirty bomb or some such. More importantly, they could have sold...
February 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM
... production); essentially, the only way it could have become a nuclear-armed power would have been to have started from scratch. They couldn't have done anything with the weaponry they had except, perhaps, cause mischief with a dirty bomb or some such. More importantly, they could have sold...
No launch codes, the command-and-control systems were based in Moscow, they had no targeting infrastructure, so even if they had been able to break through the codes they simply couldn't have set them on targets. They had no warhead maintenance programme, (including an absence of fissile material...
February 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM
No launch codes, the command-and-control systems were based in Moscow, they had no targeting infrastructure, so even if they had been able to break through the codes they simply couldn't have set them on targets. They had no warhead maintenance programme, (including an absence of fissile material...
Ukraine couldn't use those weapons.
Didn't you earlier say you were an expert in WMD?
Didn't you earlier say you were an expert in WMD?
February 10, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Ukraine couldn't use those weapons.
Didn't you earlier say you were an expert in WMD?
Didn't you earlier say you were an expert in WMD?
I was kinda lost with your initial response.
Now I'm completely lost, sorry.
Now I'm completely lost, sorry.
February 10, 2026 at 5:37 PM
I was kinda lost with your initial response.
Now I'm completely lost, sorry.
Now I'm completely lost, sorry.
... impossible, so we'll leave it there.
February 10, 2026 at 5:35 PM
... impossible, so we'll leave it there.
Okay yes, it's all getting a bit weird. When instead of replying to something within the conversation you start a whole new thread then it's impossible to carry on.
The fact you've just done it again in responding to me when I point it out just feels like a mickey-take.
You make conversation...
The fact you've just done it again in responding to me when I point it out just feels like a mickey-take.
You make conversation...
February 10, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Okay yes, it's all getting a bit weird. When instead of replying to something within the conversation you start a whole new thread then it's impossible to carry on.
The fact you've just done it again in responding to me when I point it out just feels like a mickey-take.
You make conversation...
The fact you've just done it again in responding to me when I point it out just feels like a mickey-take.
You make conversation...
Why do we keep starting entirely new threads for each stage of the conversation so that all context is lost?
That doesn't work. To respond to that I have to refer back to things I've already said, and that means writing it all out again.
That doesn't work. To respond to that I have to refer back to things I've already said, and that means writing it all out again.
February 10, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Why do we keep starting entirely new threads for each stage of the conversation so that all context is lost?
That doesn't work. To respond to that I have to refer back to things I've already said, and that means writing it all out again.
That doesn't work. To respond to that I have to refer back to things I've already said, and that means writing it all out again.
... issues? Certainly.
February 10, 2026 at 5:12 PM
... issues? Certainly.
Possibly. Will it all succeed? I doubt it, it's a massive and complex programme. Do I see any individual policy that is unrealistic? No. Do I see a much improved nation arising from getting even half of it done compared with other manifestos put out in '24 which doubtless would face their own...
February 10, 2026 at 5:12 PM
Possibly. Will it all succeed? I doubt it, it's a massive and complex programme. Do I see any individual policy that is unrealistic? No. Do I see a much improved nation arising from getting even half of it done compared with other manifestos put out in '24 which doubtless would face their own...
I would add that the UK is not Ukraine any more than it is Taiwan or any other poorly situated nation.
February 10, 2026 at 5:06 PM
I would add that the UK is not Ukraine any more than it is Taiwan or any other poorly situated nation.